School's Almost Over

And it brought with it the end of year school presentations. The lower grades (3-year-old preschool through 1st grade) learned songs from different countries that they presented to us. Their repertoire included "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," a German song about the big clock, the little clock, and the very little clock, a Spanish song about the cat and the mouse, a Congolese song, and they rounded off their set with a French song called "Bumbaïa" by Les Ogres de Barback (whoever they are). 

They made decorations to go along with each song.

They did this interpretative dance (that's what I'm calling it, anyway) to the Spanish cat and mouse song. One of the moms, who has a son in kindergarten, and who babysits a couple of the other kids, told me that the three of them had been "practicing" this at her house but she had no idea it was related to their presentation, she thought they were just being silly. 

Near the middle of the video, a kid took a dive up towards the front - to some great parental gasps and a good "ooh là là" hand-shaking gesture from the teacher's aide at back right. 

Benjamin was a HUGE ham, bowing after each number and saying "Merci, merci à tous !"

 And he had everyone rolling in the Congolese song by singing his 2 lines in a silly voice. 

Benjamin was disappointed when their part was over and the upper grades (2nd - 5th) presented the play they had written, a reinterpretation of some fairy tales. He told me he wasn't done yet because he hadn't gotten to do the play! 

The reception after the presentations had what I imagine is one major difference between French and American school functions; there was sangria for the adults. Adds a certain challenge to the evening when you get to watch the kids like hawks to make sure they don't get confused between the kids' version (yes, there was a kids' version also) or fruit juice and the adult beverage. 

Noah followed the teacher around like a little puppy dog. He gets to go to preschool orientation Monday, and can't wait! I, on the other hand, found out that I have to go with him, which sort of spoiled my plans for 2 1/2 hours of freedom Monday morning.